Africa-Press – South-Africa. South African cyclist Daryl Impey was elated after scrambling for a silver medal in the men’s cycling road race at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Sunday.
Making his Commonwealth Games debut, Impey withdrew from the individual time trial to focus on the 160km road race, and his decision ultimately paid off.
It’s been a long journey for Impey, who missed out on the Tokyo Olympics last year and pulled out of this year’s prestigious Tour de France due to Covid-19.
However, the 37-year-old continued to prove he is one of the best sprinters as he darted across the finish line to capture a silver medal for Team South Africa.
“I had to keep my head on really for these Games and then for the second part of the season. It was a huge letdown, but it’s nice to get a medal at such a prestigious event for South Africa,” Impey said after the race.
“Always happy to represent my country with pride but very happy to pull off a medal today.
“We had a super team today, we were down and out compared to others, but a lot of younger guys with less experience were the champs today.”
Impey was part of the five-man sprint team across the finish line as the South African pushed and made his way across the finish line in second.
New Zealand’s Aaron Gate clinched gold in 3:28:29, with Scot Finn Crockett rounding up the podium.
“I knew when I was second wheel with 200m to go, he was probably too far forward and I didn’t have the legs to go out and grab it. So I had to scramble for second, but Gate was a lot better,” said Impey.
“I’m happy to walk away and get silver in my first Commonwealth Games. At 37 [this] is probably my last Games so I’m chuffed.”
The South African team was already without Nicholas Dlamini and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg with Impey leading the four-man cycling team.
Impey gave credit to fellow countryman Morne van Niekerk, who was part of the leading group as he finished 12th (3:28:55).
“We came into the race without a buddy. It was a good strategy, I wasn’t the chosen son, but I was one of the guys that they were looking for [to get] a result,” said Impey.
“It was really nice to have Morne there with me today, he did an amazing job. At the end, I was telling him to calm down so we could run at the guys near the finish line, and he did that perfectly, he kept coming back. To make the breakaway was tough.”
Callum Ormiston, who replaced Dlamini, finished 37th (3:37:08), with Gustav Basson ending 66th (3:38:11).
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